Factors influencing the preservation and promotion of the Thai people’s spoken and written languages in Thanh Hoa from the perspective of the Thai ethnic community

Abstract

The article investigates the factors influencing the preservation and promotion of the Thai people’s spoken and written languages in Thanh Hoa. The study was conducted within an urgent context as the Ministry of Education and Training officially introduces ethnic minority languages into the curriculum as elective subjects. By surveying cultural subjects, the author clarifies the motivation and behaviour of the local people to provide a practical foundation for policy implementation in the coming period. The findings confirm that the community’s conservation motivation is shaped by the interaction between endogenous factors, such as attitudes and perceived values, and exogenous factors stemming from the social environment and supporting conditions. The study reveals that although the indigenous people maintain positive attitudes and have a clear awareness of their heritage’s value, the translation of this awareness into actual behaviour remains limited. This gap originates from livelihood barriers and a lack of specific supporting cultural institutions. Therefore, the article proposes shifting preservation solutions from administrative imposition to a co-management model, emphasising the enhancement of the language’s practical value through community-based tourism and economic development.